The Aftermath of the Arab Revolutions: Religious Reform and Secularism

Abstract

This study examines the key developments emerging in the aftermath of the Arab revolutions, with a specific focus on the democratic project, religious reform, and secularism. The study is also concerned with strengthening the gains made to date in the Arab world and how to advance these achievements to their ultimate goal of democracy. In safeguarding these gains, the author is concerned with not only the region’s political transition (entailing the establishment of authoritative bodies, the drafting of constitutions, and the creation of social contracts), but also the intellectual underpinnings of the ongoing revolutions. The author believes that the success of the Arab revolutions requires a cultural revolution that challenges traditions and deep-seated intellectual norms by bringing about religious reform. This necessitates a rooting in modernity and its inherent values, particularly insofar as they relate to the separation of religion and state.